474 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Japan Varieties. 

 Red June, Abundance, Burbank and Satsuma. 



European Varieties. 



Field, Bradshaw, Lombard. Fellenbers, Giant Prune. Shropshire, Damson, French 

 Damson, Archduke, Black Diamond, Grand Duke, Bavay and Monarch. Other 

 varieties which might be added are Lincoln, Murdy, Yellow Egg, Spaulding and 

 Columbia. The above lists have been named about in the order of ripening and 

 a,s it is larger than most growers like to plant, it can be cut down to any limit, 

 according to the number of trees to be planted. 



In marketing the large, fancy plums, the sixteen-quart crate rivals the four- 

 basket crate. In popularity, the one-fifth bushel basket being used for medium or 

 common stock. Early and late ripening kinds bring much the highest price. 

 Aside from the Damsons, the small or medium-sized plums coming in mid-season, 

 scarcely brought enough to pay expenses, and the planting of the larger kinds, 

 giving high cultural methods, is to be recommended. 



APPLES. 



There was a heavy crop of apples in the northwest and northeast blocks, 

 •with only a fair crop from the southeast block. In the latter block, the trees 

 were planted sixteen feet apart each way, and are now twelve and fourteen 

 years old. With the exception of a few of the slower growing kinds, the trees 

 had grown together so that the limbs interlaced and when laden with fruit, it 

 was impossible to get through with the spray wagon or cultivator, and it be- 

 came a question of cutting out every alternate row, leaving but one tree of each 

 variety, or choosing a system of pruning which would practically hold the trees 

 down in size. The latter method was chosen and instead of pruning this block 

 in the early spring, as has usually been done, it was left until the middle of 

 June, at which time the pruning was started, heading back the old wood the 

 necessary amount to allow of getting through with a horse. The pruning was 

 finished July 10th. Practically speaking, the object of the pruning at this 

 time was to cut off the new growth that had been made and thus check the 

 growth of the season. 



By following this system every year, the trees can be held where they are. 

 What effect this will have upon the trees can only be determined after a num- 

 ber of years. We hear of growers who are planting apple orchards with the 

 trees 20 to 30 feet apart, with the idea of holding them in check so that they 

 will not crowd, by severe pruning, and we will now have, on the Station grounds, 

 an excellent demonstration of what this system will do. The trees are low 

 headed and very symmetrical. Some trees have produced from one and a half 

 to two barrels of first-class apples per tree although but one rod apart, and 

 there is a great saving of labor in spraying and picking the fruit, as compared 

 with very large, tall trees. 



Spraying. 



The apples were sprayed with Bordeaux mixture and arsenite of lime. The 

 summer and early fall varieties received three applications, and most of the 

 winter varieties were given four applications. The fruit was unusually free 

 from scab fungus and worms, except upon some of the winter varieties that 

 did not receive the last application where the increase in the injury from 

 codling moth was quite noticeable. There was, however, a fine crop of apples 

 harvested, although the market price was below that of last season. 



The dust sprays were tested upon apples in comparison with liquid applica- 

 tions for controlling insects and fungi. The dust spray mixtures were the same 

 as for plums, and alternate rows were sprayed with liquid Bordeaux and arsenite 

 of lime, and the different mixtures of dust sprays. The same rows sprayed with 

 dust sprays last year were sprayed with the dust sprays this season. Mixture 

 No. 3 is a new preparation which was not used last year. The tests were also 

 started in an apple orchard outside the Station grounds, but the amount of 

 fruit set was so small that nothing definite was determined. 



The results in the Station orchard were practically the same as last season. 



